*Practice Notes from October 12th
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — On the cusp of one of the most anticipated season’s in recent memory, Alabama basketball coach Avery Johnson has no reason to believe his team will be without any of its players this year.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since staffer Kobie Baker resigned from his position amid the FBI’s investigation of corruption in college basketball, Johnson said he is “confident” in Alabama’s compliance department and administration and that the university has been “proactive throughout the process.” At this time, there is no new news to report.
“We don’t have any eligibility concerns at the moment unless somebody notifies us in the future about something,” Johnson said. “But right now all of our players are eligible to play.”
Baker resigned from his position of associate athletics director last month after Alabama held an internal review of the men’s basketball program. The internal review points to Baker as “Staff Member-1” in a federal complaint released last month which alleges an unnamed staffer was involved in a scheme to accept money in return for directing a “highly regarded incoming freshman basketball player” to sign with a financial adviser after declaring for the NBA draft.
The federal complaint states that in the first nine months of 2017, financial adviser Rashan Michel “facilitated the payment of approximately $25,000 to … (Staff Member-1).” It also says Michel arranged a meeting in August at an Atlanta restaurant between himself, the staffer (Baker), a witness cooperating with the FBI and the father of an incoming freshman player.
Collin Sexton, the No. 8 player in the Class of 2017 according to Rivals.com, is from Mableton, Ga., just outside of Atlanta. He is Alabama’s only 2017 signee from the state of Georgia.
According to the complaint, the purpose of the meeting was for Baker to make introductions between the freshman’s father and the financial adviser, ultimately to steer the freshmen to him once he entered the NBA Draft. The complaint says the cooperating witness gave Michel $10,000 that was to be given to Baker for arranging the meeting.
Sexton was a full participant during Alabama’s open practice following Johnson’s news conference. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound point guard is part of a five-member freshman class that ranked No. 6 in the nation.
Prior to Johnson’s news conference, Alabama players were asked about their reactions to the situation surrounding the program.
“I really wasn’t even to be honest worried about it,” said junior forward Donta Hall. “We believe in our administration, our coaching staff. We’re just here to hoop. Here to hoop and get our grades and major in whatever we’re majoring in.”
Added sophomore forward Braxton Key, “We saw it, we didn’t say anything about it. We’re just focused on the season. We know what we have to do to be the best team we can be and we’ve been working really hard, putting in extra strides before and after practice. Guys are just focused on the season. We’re all really excited.”
Alabama will open its season against Memphis in Annapolis, Md., on Nov. 10.
